Interview With Beauty And The Geek’s Toby Latcham

by Reality Raver

(Toby with Michelle)

Toby Latcham the resident geek with wit was one of my favourites on the Beauty and The Geek, and I was lucky enough to obtain an interview with him. Unfortunately he and his partner Jenna were eliminated last week on the show.The interview took place prior to this episode so I did not ask him about how he felt about being eliminated.

We did discuss reality TV, makeovers, and girls, and Toby showed he was a humorous, articulate and genuine young man. With rumours that Channel Seven are casting for a second series he thinks all potential geeks should apply.

Reality Raver (RR): What made you go on Beauty and Geek?

Toby Latcham (TL): It was a couple of girls at work, they saw the ad… and I thought it would be interesting.

RR: You are one of my favourite characters on the show because of your droll wit, do you think the editing has shown you as you are?

TL:With the editing it is a bit 50/50 sometimes they show you in a positive light, but sometimes they cut out things that I thought would be really good. I think the editing has showed me accurately, I am disappointed they don’t show other things that I say.

RR: When you went on the reality TV show, when you thought about what it was going to be like, did it live up to your expectations?

TL: It did a bit, I had never done anything like this before, the show itself was really really good fun. I was a bit worried we’d have to do odd things like on Big Brother, and be forced to get out of our comfort zone. We didn’t have to do anything that humiliated us a lot, and we did not have to do anything that was really quite embarrassing.

RR: What about Peter and the back waxing?

TL: With that Peter was a bit keen to do it as well. We were all decided to embrace the concept and wanted to try all these new things. For Peter that was back waxing, and by the end of it he was quite happy how it turned out.

TL: Yes it has….a hairdresser is offering to permanently straighten it so I don’t spend so much time in the mornings.

RR: Back to the concept of being on a reality TV show, were there any negatives about being on the show?

TL: There are a few minor negatives. We didn’t have internet access or contact with the outside world at all. It was a bit daunting at first. To be away from my work and my life for so long kind of did my head in, but I settled down fairly quickly.

RR: How long were you locked away for while filming of the show went on?

TL: Six weeks.

RR: The scenes where the Geeks were matched with the beauties was that really the first time you had seen the other parties?

I had met the geeks during the promo shoots, but we were not allowed to talk to each other whilst doing the promo shoots. This was the first time we were allowed to talk to each other [when they were deciding which beauties to pick], and this was the first time we saw the beauties.

RR: Are the girls as dumb as they are being edited? For example Jenna is meant to be an airline hostess she got to have some brains hasn’t she?

TL: Some girls were brighter than others, but in general most people had dumb moments on the show, geeks included. In general there were some very intelligent beauties on the show such as Jenna and Emma I think they could go onto university if they wanted to.

RR: I have heard rumours that Emma has a university degree. Something I have not followed up on, but I don’t know if it is true or not.

TL: I had heard some sort of whispers about that, but I don’t think she completed a degree. I go to university and there are a lot of people at university that are dumber than a lot of these beauties.

RR: Speaking of university, how do you do three degrees at once?

TL: It is not actually that hard. I only do four subjects a semester, as I actually work fulltime. I do do some subjects externally, which means I do them at home or during my spare time. Even though it is three degrees it is just going to take me a bit longer to do.

RR: Apart from your makeover and learning how to do your new do. Is there anything else you learnt from the show that you will use in the outside world?

TL:A lot of things actually. I learnt a lot of things about self confidence. And I think I learnt a bit about women as well. We spoke to the beauties alot, and we became very good friends, and they taught us the secrets of …..women.

Having now been on TV I feel more confident in public life now. I have people coming up wanting a photo or autograph. It is a very odd experience for someone over a month ago who was actually a nobody.

RR: I don’t know if you have heard of the movie with Nicole Kidman To Die For, you probably were not even born, but its premise was your nobody until you have been on TV. Have you had more attention from the girls now you have been on TV?

TL: Most certainly. It has been astonishing. I have been going out with Hadassah and Michelle doing what they call clubbing, where we go to nightclubs. The attention I get is amazing, people coming up wanting to take a photo or wanting to kiss me on the cheek. We had a hens night and the hen cuffed herself to me last Friday. I am certainly getting much more attention, I am just not sure if it is genuine.

RR: Are you dating?

TL: I have had a few expressions of interest, merely because I was on the show. I am not dating at the moment. I am going to wait till the whole enthusiasm about the show dies down before I look for a serious relationship.

RR: Your right are they going for the Toby on the show or the real Toby Latcham? Now reality TV has generally been seen as a fast track for girls to go into men’s mags, and people having a fasttracked media careers. But it is also looks like it is becoming a fast track for people with political ambitions. Have you got any plans in the future to go into politics?

TL: Not really. I have been playing politics for five years now and there is something I have learnt from that is that I don’t actually like politics that much. My view is that someone shouldn’t want to become a politician, someone should want to serve the community. If you are my age (21) and you want to become a politician you are in politics for the wrong reason.

RR: Who else are you still in contact from the show?

TL: Everybody. Corin and Emma have flown up to the Gold Coast [this past weekend] to spend time with myself, Michelle and Hadassah. I am going camping with Peter, and I have a roadtrip some of the guys have organised. We’ve all kept in really close contact. There was a couple of times the production team came and spoke to us and said “Come on guys we know your really good friends, but you are on different teams stop trying to help each other.” Before any challenge we would throw ideas around.

RR: So why were you always nominated?

TL: Jenna has been a very strong competitor on the show, she is very good at what she does. The first nomination was strategic, and we went up against Kate and Alan, and unfortunately Kate did not get on well with either the girls and the guys as you probably saw. For the harmony of the house we thought she had to go I’m afraid. So they put up a strong team against them. We knew Kate probably wouldn’t be studying.

The second time I think it was because Jeremy and Emma were nominating, because if we had the opportunity we would have done the exact same thing.

RR: Are Corin and Emma together?

TL: I am not actually sure. I don’t think so I think I will find out this weekend. [Last weekend they were meeting at the Gold Coast.]

RR: What next for Toby Latcham?

TL: I am not too sure. I am talking to an agent… I am probably looking for radio/voice work, obviously I don’t have a very good face for TV. My main focus is the three degrees, and the work I do in research.

RR: Would recommend to geeks out there to go on the show?

TL: Certainly it was a life changing experience. I would encourage them to do so.

RR: If there was any other reality TV show you would go on which one would it be?

TL: Celebrity Crash Scene Investigation or Celebrity Border Secuity I think that would be a good show.

RR: Not The Apprentice?

TL: I wouldn’t be cut throat enough for The Apprentice.

If you are reading this article through TV.com come and join the discussion and check out my blog on www.realityravings.com

Raver, A very astute comment here by the Toby the Tory:
“I go to university and there are a lot of people at university that are dumber than a lot of these beauties.”
This would include many of the teaching staff.

Seems like Emma has an Advanced Diploma in Business and Marketing from APM business college according to her profile on promotional-models.com.au (profile is under “Emma C”). So no degree, but not a brainless beauty by any stretch.

Culinary Boner – I think you have a point – very frustrating if they have permanent tenure.

Scott – Those colleges you just pay to get in. As far as I am concerned if you don’t need a UAI to get in it is not a uni so does not count. I do think she is probably wanting a media career out of this.

Did you know Toby has previously been on TV? he was featured on an SBS program called Downunder Grads (2007) sans the fake accent. While he is still an exuberent character he is not as affected as on B&G and he has s much better haircut.